The Deeds of Llud
by Jet556
Summary: Hearing of his family's demonization by a lying western Evabon chieftain, Llud the Gardite goes forth to put and end to it. On his way with the comely Nara, Llud encounters many obstacles such as an encounter with Kaynar and Vultaire, an attack by a Labinnac war party and a pythoness with ulterior motives for the young Gardite. Nevertheless, this is a tale of a champion.
1. Regynald Gets The Point

**Welcome everyone. In this story, Llud is our lead in this swashbuckler tale. Now this is something I have not done in a while but I will be returning to mentally casting voice actors. For Llud I have mentally cast Alexander Ludwig, for Regynald I have cast A. J. Henderson and for Nara I have cast Gaia Weiss who has acted alongside Alexander before. I welcome suggestions for others. Enjoy and review.**

 **Regynald Gets The Point**

Walking along a forest path with his young cousin Balor the Gardite called Suppiluliuma, better known as Llud threw a piece of fruit back and forth between his hands. He was very much like Gard had been at the age of eighteen in appearance except he was devoid of any scars. Llud's attire consisted of a blue loincloth, a gold belt from which hung a sword and upon his head was a red headband.

"Why do you not take in the spear throwing competition?" asked Balor.

"I have grown bored with competitions, Balor." Replied Llud. The Champion of Wilusa who had proven himself through competitions now found himself bored by them. "The battles I have been in brought me no thrill. I have known barely anything of the world, barely anything of adventure. Barely anything of romance… I feel empty."

"You don't get out of Wilusa that much do you?"

"Speaking of out of Wilusa, shouldn't you be at your lessons with Piyamaradu?"

Upon realizing was Llud had asked, Balor's eyes widened and ran back in the direction of Wilusa. The moment he left, an Evabon woman Llud's age with pink skin, yellow hair, green eyes and clad in a very brief two-piece blue outfit with a single blue earring hanging from her right ear. She was a very frightened woman… She was a very beautiful woman.

"Please, sir, aid me!" she pleaded, her voice as soft as honey. "The labinnac are after me!" The labinnac! Those monsters ate the flesh of their dead! There was only one certain thing to Llud's knowledge that the labinnac could want with this woman.

"Aid you I shall!" said Llud. What would he be if he did not aid a girl in danger? "How far away are the labinnac?" It was at that moment that three labinnac came running onto the path. They had been that far away. Drawing his sword, Llud stood between the woman and the labinnac. "Alright, whose first?"

"Move aside!" said one of the three labinnac, a fellow with a broken nose.

"And let you feast upon her flesh?" asked Llud. "I'm no fool!"

"Feast upon her flesh?" asked Broken Nose. "We are to burn her at the stake for favor from our deity the Devilry Lord!"

"Well then in that case…" Llud quickly slashed with his sword causing the labinnac's nose to become little more than a slit. The labinnac went running away, his claws covering the bleeding spot. "Anyone else?"

"Regynald has gotten your point." Said one of the other labinnac. "And we aren't eager to have a slit for a nose! Take the woman but she has to return to her clan eventually. And when she does we will burn her eventually." And with that the two labinnac followed after Regynald.

With the labinnac gone, Llud turned to the woman. "They shouldn't be bothering you now."

"Oh, thank you!" The woman stood up and kissed Llud's cheek. "I am Nara of Braki, one of Wilusa's western clans."

"I am Llud, one of Wilusa's Gardites."

Upon hearing that, Nara shrunk away from Llud. "A Gardite? My chieftain Alxanda says your kind are not to be trusted since Gard murdered his ancestor Alpyn."

"Alpyn!" exclaimed Llud. "Why he murdered Gard's wife Rua! Everyone knows this!"

Covering her mouth in shock, Nara come closer. "Alpyn's descendants have Braki's chieftains for over two-hundred years! They must have been demonizing Gard and the rest of your family!"

"That tears it then!" Llud place his sword in its sheath. "I cannot allow my family to be demonized!"

"And I shall lead you to Braki!" said Nara. "Such dishonor cannot be allowed to continue!"

Llud gave a chuckle. "That is all very nice but I can find my way on my own. I just go west."

It was then Nara's turn to chuckle. "If you do that you might end up in Yvanhoe lands." She walked up to Llud and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Besides, you wouldn't let a girl travel alone would you?" She gave a coquettish smile.

"Wouldn't think of it."

Nara turned away and began to lead Llud to Braki. It was nice to see a man that was gentle instead of rude to women and who was bold instead of cowardly.


	2. A Delinquent Evabon

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **A Delinquent Evabon**

As Llud and Nara walked together, a feeling of knowing more about each other came to the young man and woman. So it was that Llud was the first one to speak.

"What is life like for you in Braki?" asked Llud.

Nara shrugged. "Fine for a gentlewoman such as I."

"A woman of high social standing, eh?" asked Llud. "Whom are you descended from?"

"My father is the late Khyngakhgook, a basket maker." Stated Nara. "His brother, my uncle, is Bardyia, a veteran of the ten year war." Any family of a hero would be of high social standing. "My uncle has arranged for me to marry Alxanda but if he continues this demonization of a family so honorable as your own then I will not marry one as bad as him! However, even before that I was against marrying him."

"For what reason?"

"I do not love Alxanda." That was Nara's answer. She had never loved Alxanda but now she was starting to see one whom she could love. "And what of you, Llud? What is life like for you in Wilusa?"

"I am the champion of Wilusa but yet there are times when I feel not worthy of it."

"Why not?" asked Nara.

"Between the years of my thirteenth and my eighteenth birthday I was a delinquent. All I was interested in was making sport of everyone else, playfully mind you. Enaros, my predecessor who as of recently attempted to assassinate good Piyamaradu, had been worse though. He had been one without honor, eventually leading to him being stripped of his position."

"How did your delinquency end?"

"At a tilt my father was accidentally killed by one named Davyd." Llud sighed. "Or at least he claimed it was an accident. Davyd's harpoon had been honed while my father's had been atrophy as the rules dictated."

"Well, what happened to Davyd?" asked Nara.

"I defeated and personally ran him out of Wilusa." Stated Llud. "It took the death of my father to turn me from delinquency…"

"And your predecessor?"

"Killed by Pwyll mac Wodanaz, my cousin's father." Llud sighed. "Pwyll is not the best of our race but he isn't the worst either. He is just lacking quite a few morals." Llud would have continued if a sound had not come to his ears. Turning his head and scanning the forested surroundings, Llud stood where he was while Nara sat deep in thought at what he companion had told of himself.

However it wasn't on the ground that Llud found the source of the sounds. It was in the trees. Labinnac! All of them looking like a cross between komrev and were-tolacs with owl-like eyes, large claws and emaciated bodies. They were like skeletons with ash-toned skin. They must have been planning an ambush! He did not notice Regynald or the other two labinnac from earlier. These ones were different but would probably attack an Evabon on sight nonetheless. Llud could see them restraining themselves but he knew they'd fail eventually and then he knew the assegai, kopis gastraphetes and the like would be brandished, thrown and fired. If Llud were to draw his sword all their attention would be on him and yet he could not just abandon Nara to the savagery of these monsters.

No. He'd do something else.

With a dash, Llud picked Nara up in his arms and left the path. Immediately, the Labinnac began to fire that gastraphetes, throw they assegai and chase with their kopis. This only caused a headache for the commanders of the Labinnac: Vultaire and Kaynar, more Vultaire than Kaynar.

"No!" cried Vultaire. "Get back here you fools! Those aren't the ThunderCats!"

Kaynar merely laughed. "Don't be too angry with them, Vultaire. They're just itching for the taste of blood and now that I think of it, so am I!" And with that Kaynar joined in the chase.

This left Vultaire left with one thing to wish. He wished that given the rats recent joining of Mumm-Ra he could have been given a battalion of rats to command instead.

Despite this, he too soon joined in the chase. Being a vulture he enjoyed the taste of carrion and if those two Evabon were to be injured then they would be something of interest to him and he did so enjoy the thrill of the chase.

An arrow from a gastraphetes had hit the back Llud's left shoulder causing the Labinnac that had fired it to stop and yell a war cry. A poor move for Kaynar had soon knocked the Labinnac aside sending it face first into a rock and had Kaynar not done that he would have even then caught up to Llud who was carrying Nara in his arms.

The Wilusan champion and the Brakian gentlewoman had come to a river, a deep and wide one too. Seeing the only way of escape, Llud jumped into the river with Nara and they swam away from the bloodthirsty horde.

They could escape from Kaynar and the Labinnac that way but not from Vultaire.


	3. Unasked Visitant

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Unasked Visitant**

Climbing out of the river, Llud took Nara's hand and helped her out. They had not expected to be taking a swim nor had they been expecting to walk into an ambush that had not been meant for them.

On the side of the river they had gotten out of, there was a house. It was long abandoned but it would be a nice place for them to rest.

"Is there always this much excitement on your journeys home?" asked Llud.

Nara laughed but shook her head. "No. Are your adventures always this exciting?"

"I haven't been on much adventures." Llud looked into Nara's eyes. "Truth be told my only time really out of Wilusan territory was going to fight at Sengann Fortress with the rest of the Wilusan warriors."

"You were at the Battle of Sengann?" asked Nara.

"Yes, I was." Llud raised an eyebrow. "That was only a week ago. How do you know about that?"

"Everyone has heard of it. They are telling stories about all of the brave Wilusans who fought there. Was Gard there too?"

"Yes, he was."

"And you fought alongside him?"

"Yes." Llud's eyes left Nara's and turned to the ground. "We lost many good Wilusans that day fighting against the Labinnac hordes and the three backstabbers." He then looked back at Nara. "I think the fight with Alxanda will be easier. Just me and him and if one of us falls then there will be only one upon a funeral pyre."

"Oh, I don't think that day will ever come." Entering through the doorway of the house, Vultaire appeared on the scene. "I am tired and here you are… Uninjured… Well, that…" Unsure of what to do, Vultaire paused for a moment. He had no weapons, what was he to do? They were not injured thus his depraved nature for attacking the injured or feasting upon the dead was at the moment dormant. He had been so eager for carrion or injured opponents that he had exhausted himself. "May an unasked visitant rest here a bit with you?" Nara did not know Vultaire and Llud only knew him second hand. So naturally they let him rest in the house with them. "If I may ask, do you savages still fight without helmets upon your head?"

"Not since the third fall of Wilusa." Stated Llud.


	4. Avoiding Kaynar's Labinnac

**Welcome back everyone. Just so I remember and we all do, Llud and Nara will not reach Braki until the thirteenth chapter. This chapter was meant to be longer but I ultimately could not figure out how to fit this into four pages worth of reading material. Enjoy and review.**

 **Avoiding Kaynar's Labinnac**

An hour passed. Llud, Nara and Vultaire got along in a civil nature. Kaynar would have no such thing when he found them. Vultaire would let them go this one time but Kaynar would never let someone go. So it was that Vultaire did let them go, leaving Llud and Nara to avoid Kaynar's Labinnac whom had recently crossed the river.

Avoiding them was not as easy as one would hope. They seemed to be behind every tree and if they were behind every tree then where was Kaynar? Wherever he was, they could not bother to worry. They had to get to Braki and avoiding the Labinnac was essential for they were too many to fight.

Ultimately coming to a spot where the river appeared again and seeing a floating log, an idea came to Llud. Jumping in after it, and far too loudly for one that needed to be stealthy, Llud obtained the log.

"Come on, I have an idea."

"We might as well have just stayed in the water." Grumbled Nara. She was dry and now she was going to be wet again. It wasn't like she wore much so what did she have to complain about?

With both in the water, they hid behind the log. This way any Labbinac that saw them would only see the log since they were on the side not facing the side that the Labinnac were on. To say this would have made things easy would have been untrue for it was at that moment that the river suddenly started flowing in the opposite direction. There was nothing natural about this. Rivers did not just flow in the opposite direction.

Yet the Labinnac didn't notice that the river was suddenly flowing in the opposite direction. All they noticed was that there was a log flowing in the opposite direction the river was going. It was almost as if some terrible evil was seeking to give them trouble. Was it Mumm-Ra? No. It was something lesser but still formidable.

Upon noticing the log, the Labinnac started firing arrows at it. Kaynar, who was nearby, heard the noise and soon found himself confronting the Labiinac.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Kaynar. "I'm the one who is supposed to be insane here!" The scent then came to him. "Ah, you see what I smell! A log flowing against the river." Giving a laugh, Kaynar gripped his halberd. "Step aside, boys. Let me get this done quickly!" He lifted his halberd and brought it down on the log, splitting it in two. With Llud and Nara in sight, Kaynar gave yet another laugh. "First pickings goes to whoever kills them!" Kaynar jumped into the water only for Kaynar to draw his sword and chop off Kaynar's left ear. Kaynar merely laughed it off. "My ear? You couldn't have just stabbed me?"

"Didn't have too." Replied Llud.

The Labinnac all jumped at Kaynar. They saw blood and they wanted it! This gave Llud and Nara some time to escape but eleven Labinnac were no match for Kaynar. Soon eleven Labinnac lay dead in the river.

Still Llud and Nara fled and Kaynar was now the one who had to avoid Labinnac. His own Labinnac!


	5. Pass the Word

**Welcome back everyone. All of my stories may feature shorter chapters for a while. I intend to focus on a story I plan to get published for a while so all my fan fics may have the mentioned shorter chapters. Enjoy and review.**

 **Pass the Word**

Llud and Nara continued on the way. The Labinnac of Vultaire and Kaynar behind them, they walked at a calmer pace. As they continued on their path, they met an Evabon from Bracki.

"Altayr!" exclaimed Nara.

"Nara!" The old white Evabon, once a master homicide of Alxanda's, stared at Llud. "Is good you have a bodyguard with you."

"For what reason?" asked Llud.

"Alxanda has been paying the neighboring Labinnac tribe to do his bidding with whoever crosses him!"

"M-My sister!" exclaimed Nara.

"Yes! I go to Wilusa to tell the Chieftain of Evabon of our own chieftain's ways to make sure no one in his own clan crosses him. Pass the word to all Evabon you know not!" And with that Altayr continued on his way.

This only left Llud and Nara to wonder how Alxanda was to be stopped? A leader who paid his enemies to do his bidding with the blood of his own people!


	6. Krull

**Welcome back everyone. For Krull I mentally cast Terrence Scammell. Enjoy and review.**

 **Krull**

On their journey, Llud and Nara came to a bridge only big enough for one person to go across at a time. This resulted in Llud and a big black Evabon of seven feet crossing at the same time.

"Move back and let me pass!" ordered Llud.

"Krull moves back for no one!" replied the black Evabon. "You move back and let me pass!"

"I will not be dictated to by some big lug such as your self!" Llud drew his sword. "Move!"

"You have a sword while I have nothing!" observed Krull. "Sheath your sword and let us do this with out fists!"

"Yes…" Llud sheathed his sword. It was better to fight with weapons when the opponent also had a weapon. The laws of combat that all Evabon followed decreed that no two Evabon should fight if one had a weapon and the other did not. "We must follow the law!"

"Axe and be quick in a fight!" Krull grabbed Llud and then threw him into the water below. Krull's response was to burst into a fit of laughter. Surfacing, Llud was greeted by the sight of Krull and burst into laughter himself Krull's being so infectious. Nara could only stare with a bored look. She did not find a drowning to be very funny. What if Llud were to have hit his head on a rock in the water? Nevertheless she watched and upon Krull finishing his laughing fit helped Llud out and upon discovering that Llud would not pull him in Krull felt like complimenting Llud and so he did. "You are an honest fellow, would you mind if I join in on your journey?"

"But weren't you going the other way?" asked Llud.

"I was only crossing the bridge so I could say I had crossed it truthfully!" stated Krull.

"Well then in that case you may accompany us. I am Llud the Gardite." He then pointed at Nara. "And that is Nara of Braki!"

"Your woman?"

"No."

"A pity." Commented Krull. "You would make a fine couple."


	7. A Troth

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 **A Troth**

Llud and Nara with their new companion Krull continued on to Braki. It was a long walk and as they walked Nara spoke of her arranged marriage to Alxanda.

"I must admit, returning to Braki is something I am most hesitant to do." Nara said looking at Krull, informing him of their journey so far. "Alxanda may very well force me marry him as soon as I step into Braki's hall. I have hopes that my champion, Llud, will be able to defeat him and avenge the slander to his family's name."

"And what of you, Llud?" asked Krull. "Are you prepared to face Alxanda?"

"As prepared as I will ever be."

"And should you die?"

"I don't know." Llud stopped walking and placed a hand on the back of his neck. "I keep thinking that I will win but what if I should die?"

"Then you shall strike Alxanda down as a Celestial!" exclaimed Nara. "Have you ever done anything so horrible that you would become an Eternal?"

"No, I have never done anything horrible." replied Llud. "And yet to face one I have never seen fight, I am nervous."

"Then I make a troth!" said Krull. "A troth to avenge you should you fall!"

"Oh, I hope you don't!" commented Nara, her eyes on Llud and him alone. "If one as gentle and as bold as you fall were to fall it would be a terrible loss." And for Nara to see Llud die it would break her heart.

"For you, Nara, I shall not fall." Llud took out his sword and looked at his reflection. "For you, for my fellow Gardites, for honor…" For Nara most of all he would not fall! There was a mutual attraction between the two it took less time for Llud to realize one of the opposite-gender had feelings for him than his younger cousin Balor did. And yet Llud did not tell Nara how he felt about her because it would have been too soon. It had been what? Almost a day? No, it was certainly too soon. Nara too had the same reasoning. They had not known each other that long. To say how she felt would have been too early. Perhaps someday they would tell each other.

"Night is falling…" observed Krull. "We must find a cavern where we can rest till morning."

"Aye, agreed." Said Llud. Night was a time for sleep and they would need shelter.


	8. Bulletins via Quarrel

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 **Bulletins via Quarrel**

The travellers found a cavern to take shelter in for the night. After a meal of fruit, the three discussed sending a message ahead to tell Alxanda they were coming.

"We could try bulletins via quarrel." Suggested Krull.

"There is two problems with that." Stated Nara. "One is that we have no bow from which to fire a quarrel. The other is that Braki is out of range of any bow."

"It is best that he not know." Said Llud. "I have never seen him fight, he does not know we are coming. Letting him know that we are coming sacrifices an advantage."

"Then let us sleep." Krull laid back and closed his eyes.

"You sleep, me and Nara are going to speak to one another."

"Then speak outside."

Llud and Nara got up and left the cavern. They had been meaning to talk, Llud wanted to know about Alxanda and Nara could tell him. When asking about him, Nara merely said what Llud already knew.

"He is rude and cowardly." She said.

"Then he would try to kill me when my back is turned." Said Llud.

"Or have you outnumbered." Nara placed her hands on Llud's strong arms. "Do not fight him, Llud. You will die!"

"That remains to be seen."

"Then do not fight him alone!" pleaded Nara. "Let Krull fight alongside you!"

"I will not break the laws of combat." Stated Llud. "Should try to attack when my back is turned or should he turn a challenge to single combat into a battleground still I shall fight with honor."

"Then I pray that you will emerge victorious." Said Nara.

"I will not let him continue to demonize my family but I will not let you marry a blackguard such as him either. I have a feeling that to marry one such as him would result in him treating you like a bondswoman." Llud's feeling was correct. Alxanda would not treat Nara as a wife but as a bondswoman. For what reason would he do such a thing? Merely because he had the authority to do such a thing.


	9. Xaxez

**Welcome back everyone. For Xaxez I mentally cast Harry Standjofski. Enjoy and review.**

 **Xaxez**

Continuing on to Braki the three travellers met yet another Evabon who would be a travelling companion. His name was Xaxez and he too was from Braki, run out after killing Alxanda's nephew Davyd in a fair fight. Like Krull, Xaxez was big but in a different way and his skin was gold with his hair being brown and balding, not that anyone noticed from the helmet he was wearing. The helmet added quite a few feet on him, going above Krull's height. He too wielded a sword and he happened to be the best swordsman in Braki.

He had been running when the three came across him. Upon seeing Nara he stopped and greeted her.

"Nara, you have some travelling companions who have not taken an oath of pacifism… I have a fighting chance now!"

"Fighting chance against what?" asked Llud.

Xaxez turned and pointed at a war party of Labinnac close behind him. "That!" Xaxez might have been the best swordsman in Braki but even he could not have faced some fifteen Labinnac alone.

"Just fifteen?" asked Krull. "The Labinnac are coming in smaller war parties these days!"

"What do you expect with most of their tribes having chosen to follow a demon?" Llud drew hiss word and very soon battle was joined. It was not long with the three Evabon fighting against the Labinnac being the Champion of Wilusa, the best swordsman in Braki and Krull.

When it was all over there was fifteen Labinnac laying dead on the trail.

With the battle over, the travelers rested for a bit. It would not be long but they would rest nonetheless.

"Blasted Labinnac!" exclaimed Xaxez. "They are worse than pests!"

"Aye." Added Nara. "Xaxez, will you return to Braki with us? Llud here intends to challenge Alxanda!"

"Indeed I am."

"Well then…" began Xaxez. "I believe I will."


	10. Welcome to Braki

**Welcome back everyone. As you can see I have moved the arrival to Braki forward three chapters. Enjoy and review.**

 **Welcome to Braki**

Ultimately, the journey to Braki came to an end. In a forest valley there was a hall with a wall, a moat and another wall around it. Around the hall and within the second wall were many huts. This was Braki.

Standing before the drawbridge, Llud stared at the place with wide eyes. This was quite an impressive place. He wondered in Thundera had ever had a place such as this. To the ThunderCats, Wilusa was a place of foreign mystery. For Llud, Thundera was a place of foreign mystery.

"A remarkable place!" commented Llud.

"The hall is the home of the Chieftain and his court. If I marry him it shall be my home." Said Nara. To be married to Alxanda would not make Braki's hall a home for her but rather a prison.

"I don't expect that I will be welcomed here but with blades." Said Xaxez. "Still, a good fight before a meal isn't such a bad idea."

"It would take Braki's winter supply to fill your stomach." Joked Krull.

"And twice as much of that to fill your empty head!" returned Xaxez.

"Enough of that, you two." Ordered Llud. "Let us enter Braki and show no fear. If we fall then we fall and if we emerge victorious, then we emerge victorious. Hey there, sentry!" Llud called up to the sentry. "Lower the drawbridge and let us in! We come with Nara and Xaxez!"

"Who are you?" asked the sentry.

"Llud, Champion of Wilusa, descendant of Gard whom your chieftain and his ilk demonize!"

"And who is your other companion?"

"Krull the Diminutive!" replied Krull.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" asked the sentry. Krull nodded and the sentry gave a signal to lower the drawbridge. "Very well then! Welcome to Braki! May you have luck on the mission of justice you have come on."


	11. Entertaining a Wilusan

**Welcome back everyone. For Alxanda, I mentally cast Gary Sweet. Enjoy and review.**

 **Entertaining a Wilusan**

In Braki Hall, Alxanda sat at a table with a helping of flesh before him. He was a gold skinned Evabon with eyes and hair of the same coloration with their being a great beard and mustache upon his face. His attire was more or less just a purple tunic. He was forty-four years old, twenty-six years older than Nara, and stood at a height of six foot one and a half.

Taking some of the flesh, Alxanda placed it in his mouth only to spit it out at Nara's uncle Bardyia sitting next to him. Save for him and some tolacs roaming the hall, Alxanda was completely alone.

"Dreadful stuff!" exclaimed Alxanda. "I should have the hunter who caught the beast hanged for it!"

"We have no law to put someone to death." Stated Bardyia, picking the flesh off of him and throwing it to the tolacs.

"I make my own laws!"

"The creation of new laws must be voted on at Wilusa."

"To the pit with Wilusa!" screamed Alxanda. "I am chieftain here!"

"Aye and here alone." A new voice caused Alxanda to turn his attention to the hall's entrance. Nara was there with Xaxez and two others. It was a grey Evabon that spoke with a black one stood silent.

"Nara, you have come back for a shaman to espouse us." Said Alxanda.

"To burn you." Said the grey-skin.

"And just who might you be, young man?" asked Alxanda.

"I am Llud mac Thandar, son of the line of Gard, he whom you demonize!"

"What?" asked Bardyia. "Does this… What clan do you hail from, young Llud?"

"From Wilusa."

"From the Chieftain of Evabon himself no doubt!" exclaimed Bardyia. "Alxanda, how do you react to the charge of demonization?"

"What reason do I need to deny it?" asked Alxanda. "Gard killed my ancestor!"

"Because your ancestor killed his wife!" snapped Nara.

"Seed of a blackguard!" exclaimed Bardyia. "You expect me to espouse my niece to one such as you? She will not!"

Alxanda's response was to draw his sword and sever Bardyia's hands as they were rested on the table. "I shall be the only one making any decisions around here! Defenders!" A number of armed Evabon warriors entered the hall. "Take Bardyia and blind him!" They did as they were ordered leaving Alxanda with a shocked Llud, a lachrymose Nara, an unimpressed Xaxez and a stone-faced Krull. "Do I not entertain my Wilusan guest properly?" When Llud closed his mouth and glared at Alxanda, the gold skinned tyrant only turned his attention to Nara. "Nara, as my intended you should sit by my side."

"I won't!"

"You will!"

"She won't!" Llud drew his sword and placed himself between Nara and the table that was before Alxanda. "In the brief moments since I've met you, I can see that you are worse than a rude coward! I challenge you to a duel before the entire clan!"

"If you want to have such a duel then you shall have it in three days." Alxanda threw his sword into the dirt floor of the hall. "You know the laws." Llud stuck his own sword into the dirt floor, placing it close to Alxanda's. "Now where forth do you go to wait these three days?"

"Outside of the palisade." Stated Llud. "I trust you not and thus will not stay here so you may cut my throat while you sleep."

"Where Llud goes, I too go!" proclaimed Nara. "The miasma of blazes that fill his nostrils shall fill mine as well. The dehydrated flesh and kernels that serve as his eve refection shall serve mine as well. The adamantine earth that will be his bed shall be mine as well! I quit the hall of Braki till the day comes that I return for your last day on Third Earth, Alxanda!"

"And you, Xaxez?" asked Alxanda.

"Your life belongs to another." Replied Xaxez. "I have already taken your nephew's."

And with that the four left Braki as quickly as they had arrived. They left Alxanda to plot and to turn to his Labinnac allies. This duel would not take place. No, an espousal would take place and it would be against Nara's will with Llud out of the way. That he would make an assurance double sure that Nara would be his bride and Llud would be dead.


	12. Perquisite Enough

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 **Perquisite Enough**

"It is a shame that my uncle was not able to give you a perquisite for my protection on the return to Braki." Said Nara to Llud, as they all sat in the wilderness. "A sword to defend yourself till the day of the duel."

"Your presence is perquisite enough." Commented Llud.

"What do you do during your spare time when you are not defending fair maidens, Llud?" asked Xaxez. "And when you are not carrying out your duties as Champion of Wilusa."

"I have not had much time for past times. I used to compete in competitions but not anymore." Llud scratched his cheek while looking at the table. "I must say that I am starting to have an interesting in courting."

"Oh, you have someone back home in Wilusa do you?" asked Krull. "Someone you wish to marry?"

"Yes." Replied Llud. "Although she is not of Wilusa."

"Do you mean she is not of the capital itself or not one of the clans?" asked Nara.

"She is of one of the Wilusan clans." Replied Llud, looking over at her.

"Young love! How exciting!" came a voice. From behind a tree came an old Evabon woman with brown skin. Her right eye was completely covered with skin while her left eye was lacking both pupil and iris, her hair was of medium length and grey in color and she had a nose that made Vultaire's beak look not so beaky. She was attired in a black robe.

"Who are you?" asked Llud.

"Merely an old woman, travelling."

"Where do you come from?" asked Nara.

"Oh, far away."

"What brings you here?" asked Krull.

"My feet."

"What is your name?" asked Xaxez.

"My name?" asked the old woman. "Why it is… Agamede. Yes, Agamede is my name."


	13. Escorts Homeward

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Escorts Homeward**

"I am Nara ingen Khyngakhgook." Said Nara, introducing herself to Agamede.

"Indeed…" Agamede looked at Llud, Krull and Xaxez. "And who are these three gentlemen with whom you sit?"

"They were my escorts homeward but now they are my companions till the day I return to Braki for the duel between noble Llud here and the treacherous Alxanda."

"Is the grey one, Llud?" asked Agamede. "He has the look of a Gardite about him."

"How did you know I am a Gardite?" asked Llud.

"You told me." Replied Agamede, extending her long fingers to touch Llud's face. "You are real… And if you are real you may be made useful as Procyon was made useful."

"What?" Llud's eyes turned into torches of blue fire upon hearing this. "What's that?"

"Tell me, are any of you stalwart young men going to take part in the archery tournament at Braki tomorrow?" asked Agamede.

"Now what is this?" asked Llud. "An archery tournament? In Braki? I shall show go tomorrow and show Alxanda my skill in archery so he may wonder if my swordsmanship is as great!"

"Good, young Gardite, good." Agamede gave a chuckle before walking away. "I shall see you all tomorrow then."

With the old woman gone as quickly as she had appeared, the four were left to themselves. Llud went to sleep to be well rested for the archery tournament. Krull and Xaxez however discussed how there seemed to be something wrong about Agamede. The way she brought up Procyon, Gard's brother, as if she knew him was something very strange and at the same time sinister.

And Nara?

She followed after Agamede. She too, just as Llud for wishing to compete in the archery tournament was being foolish. So it was that when Agamede was aware of Nara's presence, she vanished and appeared before Nara in a flash of white fire that was so terrible that it caused Nara to faint from fright.

Now, Agamede had what she had come for!


	14. Archery Tournament

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Archery Tournament**

Ten puncheons were placed inside the walls of Braki, just behind the hall. These puncheons had goals painted on them. The archers taking part in the tournament were Robat, Joffrei, Tommen, Ztannyz, Renli, Pikelle, Petir, Barryztan, Variz and Llud.

Robat was a man who had no problem assassinating pregnant women in the name of the greater good. Joffrei was a boy who was a crazed, sanguinary sadist that enjoyed arbitrary slayings and anarchy. Tommen was a nice boy. Ztannyz was the most-well read person in Braki. Renli was attractive and alluring. Pikelle was the opposite of Piyamaradu in Wilusa right down to being a poor shaman. Petir was better fit to be the villain of this tale but lacked any warriors to back him. Barryztan had made a vow to chastity till his wedding day making him unable to be seduced. As for Variz, he was a one-man camarilla but lacked a motive to use that skill. These were the people Llud was competing against.

With Xaxez and Krull watching from the side, Alxanda looked down from one of Braki Hall's back windows.

"Good archers…" began Alxanda. "Today, you shall prove your skill! You shall all shoot for the first pike made by our blacksmith… Whatever his name is… Now, shoot!"

Joffrei, Pikelle, Petir and Variz all loosed their arrows. They missed.

Robat, Tommen, Ztannyz, Renli, Barryztan and Llud all hit their targets. The four who had not hit their targets left the tournament in defeat.

Robat was the one who next missed his target. Then Renli. Then Ztannyz. Then Tommen. Finally it was all between Llud and Barryztan.

A thirty-year old brown Evabon, Barrystan stared at Llud with interested eyes. If this boy from Wilusa truly were the champion then he would know his better.

"May the spirits be with you, Llud." Said Barryztan.

"And they you." Returned Llud.

Barryztan loosed his arrow and hit it right on target. Llud then loosed his own arrow and also hit it right on target.

Leaving them with their own puncheons was not working. A break would be taken while nine of the puncheons were removed.


	15. Tightening the Target

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Tightening the Target**

When the nine other puncheons were removed and only one was left. Llud and Barryztan both stood ready. It was Barryztan who loosed first and his arrow hit the target dead center.

"May the spirits be with you, Llud." Commented Barryztan as he stood aside.

Llud did not respond. He merely strung an arrow and loosed it! What happened then was believed to have been impossible but not for a champion. Llud's arrow split Barryztan's.

"It looks like I am champion of the tournament." Said Llud. "Champion of Wilusa, champion of this tournament… Perhaps Alxanda would like to take part?"

Looking down from the window, Alxanda chuckled. He had one last challenge for Llud this day. The arrows were removed from the puncheon and soon after a captive Nara was brought out of the hall, gagged, and then bound to the puncheon. The ropes being tightened more than they should have been.

"One more task for you to win this tournament, Wilusan!" yelled Alxanda from the window. "Cut Nara lose without killing her or drawing blood and you are the champion of the tournament!"

"You lying lunatic!" exclaimed Barryztan. "Champion of Wilusa or not, there is no way that Llud will be able to accomplish this! You intend to keep that pike for yourself by forcing the winner to back down!" Barrystan then strung an arrow joined by Robat, Tommen, Ztannyz and Renli who then would have all loosed their arrows had Llud not stepped in.

"That is enough!" he said. "I must try! All of you get out of here. I have a feeling that Alxanda may turn on anyone who raises a weapon against him. Krull, Xaxez, you leave too. I don't want my friends to be brought into my punishment for failure. I do presume you have a punishment in mind."

"Execution." Replied Alxanda.

"Why should I be surprised that you would ignore that our race has no law to put someone to death…" Llud turned to Nara and looked at the ropes as everyone left except for the archers who had not raised their bows against Alxanda. Stringing an arrow, Llud muttered "I am that good, I am the good…" continuously under his breath.

And then he loosed his arrow! Everyone held their breath, Llud included. The arrow cutting the rope as it flew past the right arm of Nara caused a wave of relief to flow over Llud.


	16. Captured

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Captured**

Now free and uninjured, Nara ran over to Llud! Removing the cloth that had been around her mouth, she threw it aside and embraced Llud. Llud wrapped his arms around Nara and soon the two were looking up at Alxanda.

"I have won the tournament, Alxanda!" said Llud. "I have freed Nara and now how about the pike, although it would be better off in your heart than my hands!"

"Give you the pike?" asked Alxanda, as angry as he could possibly be. "I will keep the pike!"

"You dare to go back on your word?" asked Nara.

"I am the Chieftain! I can do whatever I want!" Alxanda looked over at the archers who had lost in the first round of the tournament. "Joffrei! Pikelle! Petir! Variz! You may win more than a pike this day! Capture Llud and I will make you my thanes! My elite!" Joffrei, Pikelle, Petir and Variz all jumped at the chance and prepared their arrows. "Surrender, Llud, and I will not flay you alive tomorrow. I will do something not as bad."

Llud reached for his quiver of arrows only to find it empty. That was some ill luck.

Turning to look at Nara, Llud threw his bow aside. "Nara, get out of here! Quickly!"

"I will not abandon you!"

"Nara, you may get injured! Please!" Llud's plea did not fall on deaf ears. Nara departed and now there was no one in danger except for Llud. "Now gentlemen, if you could not even hit your target what makes you think you could hit me or hit me without fatally wounding me so your master may execute me in some horrible manner." Joffrei and Pikelle both loosed their arrows only for Llud to duck and for once that day those two archers hit something: each other's hearts. "Well, well. Half of you are dead. Can those of you who remain make good your archery skills without hitting a target that is not me?" Llud jumped, thirty feet he jumped as Evabon were capable of doing. If only he had reached at the wall that he had jumped for. Two arrows found him, one from Variz and one from Petir both reaching a heel. The pain caused Llud to pull his arms back in pain before they ever reached the tip of the wall and instead of grabbing the wall's tip, Llud collided with the wall and came falling down to the ground.

Llud was captured but Nara had escaped. Variz and Petir were now thanes while Joffrei and Pikelle lay dead. Alxanda was victorious this day but his victory would not last for long.


	17. Nara Wants To Help

**Welcome back everyone. For Robat I mentally cast Julian Glover, my favorite actor to have ever played Richard I of England. Enjoy and review.**

 **Nara Wants To Help**

To the cave that Llud, Nara, Krull and Xaxez had taken up residence till the day of Llud's duel with Alxanda Nara returned. Besides Krull and Xaxez Robat, Tommen, Ztannyz, Renli and Barryztan were also there discussing on whether or not it was wise to leave the honorable Llud. The discussion changed to one of rescue once Nara informed them of Llud's capture.

"So, Joffrei and Pikelle are dead." Mused Robat. "And Petir and Variz are now Alxanda's thanes." Robat was thirty-six years old and stood at a height of six feet and six inches. He was broad shouldered and muscled but overweight and heavily bearded to hide his multiple chins. He was a brown skinned, blacked haired, red-eyed Evabon who was quite handsome in his own way. He too wore simply a loincloth but also wore a pair of trousers as well as a tunic. Already, he seemed to be taking the part of leader in the rescue plan. "Tomorrow, we shall go forth and rescue Llud by force! We will then kill Alxanda and make Llud our chieftain!" However, by saying that he received the criticism of others.

"Oh, aye." Commented Krull. "That is certainly going to make our fellow Brakians think better of the Gardites!"

"So many of us are already thinking better of the Gardites!" argued Robat.

"Even still making him chieftain could make the Gardites seem like they lack a will of their own!" replied Krull. "Do we want Llud to seem like he is our puppet?"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen please!" exclaimed Xaxez, getting between Robat and Krull before they came to blows. "Gentlemen, gentlemen please! Nara wants to help."

"Let the maid rest." Said Robat. "Being turned into a target by that lunatic Alxanda must have been quite frightening for her!"

"It would have been more frightening for you!" said Nara. "I want to help and it will be my plan that will be used to rescue Llud!"

"Very well, then. "Robat stroked his beard. "If you have a plan, then let us hear it! Unless Krull hear wishes to argue about this."

"I have nothing to argue about. If Nara has a plan, then let us hear it!" Krull rested his chin on his knuckles. "What is this plan that you have to rescue Llud the Slayer, if we can all agree to call him that?"

"We shall discuss that later." Said Nara. "As for the plan, this is it…"


	18. Release from the Noose

**Welcome back everyone. The chapter is based off of scenes from the 1952 film adaptation of "Ivanhoe" and "The Storie of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men." I previously used a scene from an Ivanhoe adaptation for the death of Jaques in "The Battle of Sengann Fortress." Enjoy and review.**

 **Released from the Noose**

Being led to the wall of Braki, Llud looked up to the sky praying in silence. As they reached the top of the wall a noose was tied around Llud's neck.

Alxanda then walked up the wall's steps and stood before Llud. The two both stared at each other with critical eyes.

"Llud mac… Whoever your father is! You shall hang until you are dead… Hopefully your neck will break instead of you having to suffocate. After that I will have your head cut off and your eyes removed so I can eat them."

"You are a Labinnac in Evabon skin." Commented Llud. "Altayr told me and Nara about you paying the neighboring tribe to do your bidding to whoever crosses you. I guess it only fits."

"Why waste good rope?" asked Alxanda to his warriors as he removed the noose. "I will show you all how I will deliver my enemies to their ancestors for now on!" Alxanda moved to throw Llud from the wall only for Llud to place his bound wrists around Alxanda's neck.

"Cut my bonds or your chieftain comes down with me!" ordered Llud to the Brakian warriors.

"Cut the bonds and I'll cut your throat!" exclaimed Alxanda.

It was at that moment that Nara, Krull, Xaxez and the rest arrived. They had heard that Llud would be hanged from the wall but they had not expected to find Llud and Alxanda grappling each other.

"It looks like there is a change of plan." Commented Nara upon seeing this. "Lets wait and see what happens."

Llud's bonds were cut and he ran down the wall's steps. Alxanda began to scream for the drawbridge to be raised and the portcullis to be lowered. Variz pursued Llud only to trip between the wall and the drawbridge and get crushed to death just as Llud jumped and escaped. All of those who had come to the rescue then loosed arrows at Alxanda who was forced to hide behind the wall.

Llud had escaped. Alxanda's rage was fueled. One day, the final battle between the two would come. It would not be an official duel to the death but it would be a duel nonetheless.


	19. Adoration Aired

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 **Adoration Aired**

Far from Braki, Llud and Nara walked away from their companions. Once far from them, Llud turned to speak with Nara.

"Nara, two friends of mine who come far from Wilusan lands are companions who have become more than that. In the days since I have known you I have come to wish to know you in a way more than a friend. I… I know not how to say it. I have heard it said in the simplest ways but I fear that I may be laughed at for saying those words. I want to say those words and at the same time I fear your response."

"There is no need for you to fear my response, Llud. In the days I have known you I too have come to feel the same way about you. Of my two suitors it is you that I love, not Alxanda. It is you I wish to be with, not him. In you and him, I have truly seen the honorable and the dishonorable, the good and the evil. I love you, Llud."

The embraced and kissed while through a crystal plate, Agamede the Pythoness showed the scene to Alxanda. With a grin on her face, Agamede looked at Alxanda stare at the plate.

"Had his archery not been so good he'd be dead!" exclaimed Alxanda. "Had he not always been thinking he'd be dead! Had he never crossed paths with Nara she would be mine! Why do you show me this, witch?"

"Only because I have motives for the young Gardite. Just as I Gard's brother Procyon I shall ruin Gard's descendant! Revenge for the father of Procyon and Gard spurning me!"

"Revenge for something that happened so long ago?" asked Alxanda. "Why not? Revenge is still revenge and a perfectly good way to live one's life and for my revenge on Llud I shall take Nara as my wife and treat her like a slave! In this life and the next he shall know how Nara will live her life!"

Agamede just stared at Alxanda as he stared at the plate. Procyon was dead so now she would seek revenge on the father of Procyon and Gard through a different descendant. Through Alxanda would this revenge come into being!

But yet Llud and Nara knew nothing of the coming danger. They merely embraced as lovers. There was no thoughts of Alxanda or Agamede, merely how this was at the moment the happiest day of their lives.

Yes, this was the happiest day of their lives. One happier was yet to come but that is for after the final battle between Llud and Alxanda, not before.


	20. An Evabon Alehouse

**Welcome back everyone. The Siege of Wilusa is going to be an ongoing arc, basically something to keep the ThunderCats from having a lot of Evabon aid. Enjoy and review.**

 **An Evabon Alehouse**

An Evabon alehouse is nothing fancy, even as alehouses go. They are little more than four posts and a roof. The ales Evabon drink on the other hand is either something made of honey or a mixture of vinegar and fermented milk. It is rare to find wine in an Evabon alehouse the art of wine making not really being known to Evabon and most of the wine comes from trade with other races. Given the way they are sometimes treated, trade with Evabon is quite rare itself.

Such was the scene. Altayr had stopped at an alehouse on the road to Braki with some friends of his: Ylin, Zanda, Janoz and Jalabhar.

"Well, my friends…" said Altayr taking a sip from his drinking horn before spitting it out. "Ugh, must have gone bad! As I was saying, when I met Nara she had a grey skin with her, a Gardite I think. When I reached Wilusa, I met Gard and took note of the resemblance between the two. It seems that Wilusa was already on its way to aid us before I reached there."

Ylin, a yellow Evabon looked at Altayr with a curious look. "Oh, yes? And what of the Chieftain of Evabon? What has he said?"

"The Labinnac hordes are currently putting a lot of focus on Wilusa." Stated Altayr. "When there is a break between the fighting Piyamaradu shall send some warriors to aid us."

"What?" asked Zanda, a blue Evabon. "Wilusa under siege?"

"I am afraid so." Replied Altayr. "I was lucky to reach Wilusa and not end up a victim of crossfire. The Labinnac have learned how to make longbows now!"

"Isn't that a step down from crossbows?" asked Janoz, a brown Evabon.

"Maybe." Replied Altayr. "But they are lighter to carry. If we could create cannons then maybe, just maybe the defenses of Wilusa could easily end this siege."

Petir's arrival caused the conversation about the Siege of Wilusa. Now one of Alxanda's thanes, Petir had come to celebrate.

"Drinks all around, ale master!" yelled Petir. "I am now a thane, a thane of Braki! Who knows, maybe I may become something more some day!"


	21. Petir's Information

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Petir's Information**

"What?" asked Alxanda as he stood in Braki Hall with Petir. "What did you say?"

"From what I have heard Wilusa is under siege." Stated Petir. "It is a good thing we Evabon frown on the use of crossbows and cannons but it appears Altayr has forgotten that. He seems to believe that we simply don't know how to make the latter."

"Even I would not make use of either of those!" said Alxanda. "They are terrible weapons that permit cowardice and to kill braver men at a distance. The punishment for using them is the loss of both eyes and hands."

"And cannons turn battle into butchery!" added Petir.

"I seriously hoped Wilusa is taken and everyone put to death." Alxanda looked over at the table. "If a large enough group is sent and combined with that little group of rebels Llud has become leader of it will mean my doom. My removal of Bardyia's hands has added even more who dislike me to the ranks of the rebels."

Agamede then appeared in the entrance to the hall. "I have a plan for you, Alxanda." She said. "One that can make Nara your wife."

"Tell me later then." Alxanda drew his sword and started to hack at the statue of a long dead hero. "I shall have our wedding on All Buffoon's Day. The merry-making will make for a good thing should she feel less than warm towards me, defilement of her in public could result in my death."

"What of the Wilusans?" asked Petir. "Should they arrive on that day we will have much to answer for?"

"Bring me paper!" yelled Alxanda. A lame Evabon did as was ordered. "Ink and quill!" Those too were brought to Alxanda. Alxanda then sat at the table in the hall and got to work on the letter. Once done, Alxanda rolled up the paper and gave it to Petir. "Bring this to our neighbors…"

"Our neighbors?" asked Petir. "But they are…"

"If Labinnac are laying siege to Wilusa then what is wrong if the Wilusans are victims of Labinnac?" asked Alxanda. "With the Wilusans dead what will we have to fear?"

"Nothing." Replied Petir.


	22. Ptolemi's Operation

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Ptolemi's Operation**

The lame Evabon who had given Alxanda the writing supplies was a green Evabon named Ptolemi. He had not left entirely but had stayed and heard what Alxanda's orders were. Thus he knew the path the Regynald and his Labinnac would take to the old road that lead to Braki.

There he found Regynald and two others going to wait for the Wilusans. No matter how long it took, they would wait. Thus with little more than a crutch, Ptolemi confronted them in his mission to prevent them from killing the Wilusans.

Without a nose, Regynald was an even worse sight than he normally would have been. Still Ptolemi was not unnerved. A Labinnac was still a Labinnac if they had a nose or not.

"Eyes of my mother Dydo!" exclaimed Regynald. "A lame Evabon comes to confront us? Perhaps we should maim him further and send him to be a fool at our people's capital of Karthage!"

"To think you barbarians can ever be so organized as to have a capital makes me want to laugh." Mocked Ptolemi.

"That's it!" Regynald turned to the Labinnac on his left. "Hymylko!" He then turned to the Labinnac on his right. "Mago! Let us rip him apart!"

"Do this mighty Regynald need two others to kill a cripple?" asked Ptolemi.

"Ears of Mazynyzza, Ziphax and Vamyna! I will not be insulted like this!" Regynald leapt at Ptolemi only to have Ptolemi swing his crutch. The result was the crutch breaking into Regynald's skull, killing him.

"Well, he's dead." Said Ptolemi. "Anyone else wish to try and fight me before swearing by someone like Mykypza?"

Hymylko and Mago both stared at one another. They then looked at the body of Regynald. They then looked at Ptolemi.

Hymylko fled as did Mago but not before the latter wounded Ptolemi. The Labinnac Warlord Hunayk would have at least checked to see if the wound was fatal. Alas, Mago did not.

Perhaps the Labinnac would be back. Who could say? How was Ptolemi to be sure? If they were, perhaps they would be in greater numbers.


	23. In The Best Hands

**Welcome back everyone. Short but I am feeling a bit drained at the moment. Enjoy and review.**

 **In The Best Hands**

Not knowing of the Siege of Wilusa, Llud continued on with his friends and with Nara. However this morning Llud could not find Nara. As he walked over to Xaxez and Krull, his question was switched to a different one as Robat arrived with the wounded Ptolemi.

"Who is this?" asked Llud.

"Ptolemi." Replied Robat.

"Alxanda sent Labinnac to wait for Wilusans… For when… there is a lull in the fighting…" said Ptolemi.

"Fighting?" asked Llud. "What fighting?"

"Wilusa is under siege by the Labinnac hordes!" replied Llud. "I must be there! Wilusa needs its champion!"

"And we need our leader!" objected Robat. "When we have gotten rid of Alxanda then you can go back to Wilusa!"

"But my friends, my family!" exclaimed Llud. "I cannot merely ignore them! I cannot imagine what the Labinnac will do to my cousin Balor should they break into Wilusa! He is only eight!"

"Gard is there." Said Robat. "The man is a legend, has anyone ever tried to fight a legend and survived?"

"Not that I know of." Replied Llud.

"Then have faith!" advised Robat. "Things will be alright until you return and when you do we shall go with you! Wilusa is in the best hands at the moment. "

"Alright then, I shall go back to my original question." Said Llud. "Where is Nara?"


	24. Espousal Day

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Espousal Day**

"Well done, witch!" exclaimed Alxanda as Agamede presented Nara to him. "That plan of yours was more than just an old woman's talk after all."

"You should not scoff at my powers, Alxanda." Said Agamede, her eyes on Nara. "They are what made a great warrior into a bloodthirsty lunatic."

"And now you two shall marry on La Na Buffoon Ar." Commented Petir, laughing as he did so. "Marvelous! Those who have flocked to Llud will not be able to get in, we will riddle them with arrows should they approach!"

"And with the Labinnac we have waiting for the Wilusans we shall all who oppose us shall be deader than…" Alxanda paused for a moment to think of someone who had died horribly. "Uh, my brother…. Since I had him flayed alive, drowned and his eyes gauged out simultaneously."

"You pompous, obnoxious, spoiled brat momma's boy of a komrev!" exclaimed Nara. "Even if all should oppose you shall die do you think that the spirits will not punish you? There is no escape for you! You'll be in the Pit where you belong before long!"

The mention of the Pit caused Alxanda to flinch with fear. If there was one thing he feared most of all it was eternal damnation, which was nigh impossible for Evabon. When an Evabon died, the virtuous became Celestials and the sinister became Eternals and both could go forth from their respective places: The Floating Mountain across the Rainbow Bridge for the Celestials and the Pit for the Eternals. There was some Evabon however who were so sinister that they did not become Eternals. Rather they would have to go through what they did to people tenfold for all eternity. Alxanda was well aware of this and was so frightened of what awaited him that he had banned all mention of the Pit from his court with penalty being something fair worse than that what he had done to his brother.

"A-Away w-with h-her!" stuttered Alxanda, shaking as he did. "I will not see her until my Epsousal Day on La Na Buffoon Ar!" Nara was taken away and Alxanda walk away to his chamber, a bare room with nothing in it and collapsed in a heap to the floor.

The fear of the Pit was in him. There was no escape for him. If there was a blackguard who saw his fate coming it was him!

A sound then came to Alxanda's ears. He stood up, drawing his sword and looked around. There was no one anywhere near his chamber. He was alone.

Turning again Alxanda saw his shadow and jumped back a bit until he realized what it was. What? Scared of nothing?


	25. Mummers, Behemoths and Buffoons

**Welcome back everyone. Short but it's a set up for the climax. Enjoy and review.**

 **Mummers, Behemoths and Buffoons**

"She's gone!" exclaimed Llud after a search for Nara had proven unsuccessful. "No one has seen her, she isn't visiting any friends since we have checked the places outside of Braki where her friends live… Agamede must have taken her again! I swear I will plunge my sword into that witch's heart!"

"Taken her back to Alxanda to be his bride." Said Krull. "Oh, what a horrible thing!"

"Then this battle must be brought to Alxanda!" Llud jumped upon a tree stump while his men gathered around him. "This espousal must not take place!"

"That's a very heroic idea." Commented Robat. "But how are we to do that? Tomorrow is La Na Buffoon Ar, they just won't let us in!"

"La Na Buffoon Ar! That is brilliant!" Llud jumped down from the tree stump and placed a hand on Robat's shoulder. "That is exactly what we shall do! We will have ourselves a little cavalcade, a cortege! We will have mummers, behemoths and buffons and Xaxez shall be the Chief of Misrule!"

"Me?" asked Xaxez. "Well, I always wanted to be Chief of Misrule so now is my chance!"

"What about you, Llud?" asked Krull. "Won't you be with us?"

"I will sneak into Braki to face Alxanda himself at the espousal. No doubt it will be happening in the hall. When it is all over, I hope I will be meeting you with Nara by my side."


	26. Llud against Alxanda

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Llud against Alxanda**

In the hall before a local shaman, Alxanda and Nara stood. Alxanda had a look of triumph upon his face while Nara only had a mixed look of disgust and sorrow upon hers. La Na Buffoon Ar was here and the two would be married.

"We come here today in the sight of the almighty Spirits to join these two together in holy matrimony." Said the Shaman.

And he needn't go any further as Llud walked into the hall from the upper floor with an axe in hand. It was then that he spoke.

"Good morning, Chieftain Alxanda." Greeted Llud.

Surprised by the sudden voice, the Shaman looked behind him and stepped aside in shock. He then left, rather than witness the fighting that was to happen.

To say Alxanda was angry would have been to put things lightly. He was actually a raging volcano, so much so that instead of having the men he had on hand attack Llud he did so himself with a flail.

Axe against flail. On Third Earth the axe was a weapon of Evabon invention while the flail was a weapon of Labinnac invention. It seemed fitting that while the combatants were two Evabon, he that wielded the flail was one who was perfectly willing to pay Labinnac to do his dirty work.

Llud and Alxanda were both equal in build. The former was twenty-six years younger and the latter was twenty-six years meaner. Either combatant could have come out as the victor.

Yet neither opponent was equal in weaponry. The axe Llud had was old and rusted while Alxanda's mace was new and without rust. A weapon was not a person and thus would not have anything to put it on an equal footing. So it was the Llud's axe eventually broke and he was forced to avoid Alxanda's attacks.

Thankfully, there was something interfering with Alxanda. A clamor from outside that had brought his men in the hall, one of them Petir, outside to investigate.

Eventually, Alxanda had corned Llud only for Nara to bring a dagger she had snatched from one of the warriors down into Alxanda's right shoulder. In retaliation Alxanda threw his flail aside and placed his hands around Nara's throat and forced her down onto the table. He would have killed her had he not felt the cold metal of the sword Llud had left in the middle of the hall go into his side and strike his lungs.

Pulling the sword away, Llud watched as Alxanda released Nara and stumbled towards to the entrance of the hall. Once outside Alxanda found his men dead, Petir included, and Evabon costumed as mummers, behemoths and buffoons. But it was Xaxez costumed as the Chief of Misrule that truly placed fear into the dying Alxanda.

With a big smile, Xaxez raised his arms in welcome and happily said to Alxanda "Welcome to the pit!"

Alxanda did not burst into a rage or start trembling in fear. The last thing he ever did was scream in horror before falling down the steps of the hall.


	27. The Gentlewoman's Hand

**Welcome back everyone. This is the ending of this story. As for the "Siege of Wilusa" arc, I'm having trouble thinking of stories actually set during the siege so if you have any suggestions send me a personal message. Enjoy and review.**

 **The Gentlewoman's Hand**

Alxanda was dead, so was his thane Petir. As for Agamede she had fled but would return one day and on that day she would make her true identity known.

Nara's uncle Bardyia had returned and the Wilusans had arrived, the one leading them being Llud's friend Arnuwanda himself.

The arrival of the Wilusans had been heralded with the declaration of Llud as the new Chieftain of Braki. So with this news, Bardyia walked before Llud while Nara stood by his side in Braki hall.

"My chieftain, I offer you my niece's hand in marriage. As Alxanda's conqueror you should have what would have been his." Said Bardyia.

"Let us here what your niece has to say first, Bardyia." Replied Llud. "Nara, what have you to say, my love?"

"I will not marry you because you are Alxanda's conqueror." Stated Nara. "I shall marry you because you make the trees blossom and the bees buzz in my soul. I shall marry you because you have brought spring to my heart."

And so Llud and Nara were married and the former did not leave for Wilusa the day after. He did leave but not so soon.

The Siege of Wilusa was something that would last for the entire Mumm-Ra war. Mumm-Ra was sure that even if the Labinnac were defeated the Wilusans would be in no fit state to march against him when the ThunderCats called for the aid of the Evabon. He did not reckon however that the other three nations who had split from Wilusa would ignore the cradle of Evabon civilization being put under siege by their hated enemy. Thus Mumm-Ra had even then ensured his own defeat. He had not even considered the notion that separate nations would come to Wilusa's aid.

The tales of the Siege would become legend. But these tales are for another time, as is Mumm-Ra's final defeat. Yet, know this. Before the Mumm-Ra war, all of Third Earth viewed the Evabon as monsters. By the end of it, they would be viewed as something more positive and it would be Gard the Champion who would them when they would go to join the ThunderCats.

 **The End**


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